Insulated jacket for distillation apparatus



w. J. PoDBl-:LNIAK 1,909,315

Filed June 20. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 yIdale/Zn vIKSULA'IED JACKET FOR DISTILLATION ,APPARATUS May 16 -1933- w. J. PODBIELNIAK INSULATED JACKET FOR DISTILLATION APPARATUS Fixed June zo, 1931 2 Sheets-Shed. 2

Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER J'. PODBIELNIAX, 0F TULSA, OKLAHOMA INSULATED JACKET FOR DISTILLATION' APPARATUS Application led J'une 20,

The present invention relates to improvements in insulating containers or jackets and more particularly those of the double-walled, levacuated type. It is particularly applicable 5 to such containers or jackets of elongated form employed as distillation columns or as insulating means therefor. It will be fully understood in the following description,

illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, partly broken away, of a device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken u away, of a reflector member employed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through acontainer of ordinary form, embodying the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through la container embodying the invention in a modified form.

In the construction of double-walled, evacuated insulating containers of the Dewar flask type as hitherto practiced, the sealed space between the walls of the container has been evacuated to as high a degree as is practicable in order to reduce the transfer of heat by conduction and convection. It has like- Wise been customary to deposit a silver mirror on a wall of the container within the evacuated space in order to reduce the transfer of heat by radiation. While such a construction improves the insulating properties of the container, it is not satisfactory where desirably large transfers of heat may take place and the mirror surfaces are rapidly destroyed, for example, at temperatures as high as 400 to 600. By constructingctlclhinsulating containers or jackets in la'/c` ance with the present invention',`.marl;edly improved insulating qualities are secured 5 and the container may be subjected to very' high temperatures without impairment of its eiliciency.

The invention is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2in a form of construction suitable for use as an' insulating jacket for a precision analytical column, such as those described in my 1931. Serial N0. 545,755.

prior applications (175,584 and 475,585, filed August 15, 1930. In the form of construction shown in these figures, the numeral' designates a distillation column ofconsider- 'able length, provided at its lower end with an 55 10 which is somewhat enlarged at its lower 05 end, as at 11, to surround the distillation bulb 6. The double-walled column or jacket 10-m'ay be also enlarged at its upper end, as

shown at 12, to provide an enlargxe'd space around the distillation tube, in w be provided a container 13 of annular cross section. A cooling medium of any suitable character may be supplied to the latter by means of the inlet pipe 141, and a tube or pipe 15 is provided for the exit of the cooling medium. When a vaporizable liquid, such as liquid air, is employed as the cooling medium, a coarse packing 16 may be rovided in the annular cooling chamber 13 or the better distribution of the vaporizing liquid. 9

Suitable corks or washers 17 and 18 are provided at the lower and upper ends of the double-walled jacketor container 10 to support the distillation column 5 in position. f

desired, a dry packing of any suitable ty e, 85'

largement 12 of the double-walled jacket 10. 9

The insulating container or jacket 10 is suitably formed of a low expansion, heatl resistant glass, such asthatcommerciallyknown as Pyrex, or may in fact be madev of quartz,

for example, the innery wall 10, as set forth in my co-pending application Serial No. 543,969, filed June 12, 1981. Within the jacket or container, prior to evacuation and sealing, there is placed a separate reflector l member 19, shown in side elevation in Fig. 2.

ich may 70 This reflector member is suitably constructed of light material having a highly polished,

.reflecting surface on its interior, and preferably also on its exterior. While this reflecting surface may be secured by directly polishing the metal of which the reflector member is formed, which may suitably be iron, steel, copper, zinc or the like, or preferably a nickeliferous metal, such as nickelchromium alloy, Monel metal or nickel. Nickeliferous metals, particularly nichrome and Monel metal, are desirable by reason of their low heat conductivity. ranging from one-fifth to one-tenth that of silver, so that by their use the longitudinal conduction of heat by the reflector can be made as low or lower than that of a silver mirror. vNichrome is particularly desirable for use.

In order to facilitate the construction and insertion of the reflector member 19, it is preferably formed in two parts, an upper enlarged cylindrical portion 19 which is inserted within the upper enlarged portion 12 of the insulating container 10. and a body portion 19b which is disposed within the elongated cylindrical body portion of the insulating container 10 and the lower enlargement 11 thereof. The portion 19a and 19b of the reflector member may be held in relative position with respect to each other bv the spring clips 20, and spring projections 21 may be provided at each end of the reflector Iirnember 19 to bear against the end walls of the insulating container 10 and supports .the reflector member in proper position. Bv this construction proper support of there'flector member is secured with but few. small spaced contact areas between the reflector and the container. After the container has been built up and its part-s joined by the usual glass blowing methods or in any other suitable manne-r, it is evacuated and sealed in the usual manner.

In order that the action taking place within the distilling column 5 may be viewed from the exterior, slots or perforations 22 may be provided at intervals along the length of-the reflector member 19.

By constructing the apparatus as hereinbefore described, the insulating efliciency of the jacket or container was found to be markedly improved over that secured, for example, with ordinary silvered surfaces on the interior walls of the evacuated jacket. This increase in insulating-efficiency is particularly evident in the analytical distillation of petroleum'oil fractions during which temperatures as high as 400 F. or higher, say to 600 were attained; and also in the case of gases,l

temperatures as low'as 150 F. to 200 F. or lower. Furthermore, by .using fused quartz as the material for the construction ofthe distillation column and of the inner wall or both walls of the insulating jacket, as described in my co-pending application Seexposed interiorly to the temperature of the `material being distilled, said jacket having rial No. 543,969, filed J une 12, 1931, the device may be used at even higher temperatures. At such temperatures, say above 400 F., the limited efficiency' of a silveredmirrored surface is not retained for any substantial period of time, as it is rapidly broken down or even volatilized at higher temperatures. With very low temperatures on the inner side of the container, for example, temperatures approximating those of liquid air or lower, the markedly improved efficiency of lthe insulating jacket or container is also apparent, being shown by a much lower loss of cooling medium through vaporization than with the conventional silvered container of similar dimensions.

It is readily apparent that the elongated inner wall of an insulating container such as that shown at 10 in the drawings may like- Wise serve as the outer wall of the distillation column itself, instead of merely as an insulating member surrounding the column.

In Figs. 3 and 4 embodiments of the invention have been shown in connection with vacuum bottles or Dewar flasks of the ordinary type. In Fig. 3, the numeral 25 indicates the double-walled, evacuated glass or quartz container, within which is provided a separate reflector member 26, preferably spaced from both walls of the container and suitably supported in position by the springs 27. The reflector member y26 is constructed of any suitable sheet metal, such as copper, iron, zinc or the like, with its surface polished to a mirror finish or provided with a suitable plating of nickel, chromium or the like, like- Wise preferably buflfed to a mirror finish.

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of the invention in connection with a vacuum bottle or Dewar flask 28 of ordinary type, having either glass or metal walls, in-which there are provided two spaced reflector members 29 and 30, each of a construction similar to those hereinbefore described. By the use of a plurality of spaced reflector members of this kind, a further marked improvement in insulating efficiency of the container can be secured, each playing its part in the reflection of radiant heat waves and thus preventing transmission of heat through the container. It is readily apparent that where great temperature differences are encountered or where extremely high insulating efficiency is desired, the number of reflecting members employed m-ay be even further increased.

I claim:

1. In distillation apparatus, an insulating jacket having an elongated body portion double walls forming a sealed space therebetween, said space being evacuated, and a separate metallic reflecting member within Said evacuated space and spaced from-the rior of the insulating jacket.

Walls thereof, said reflector member extending the length of said elongated body portion.

2. In distillation appai'atus, an 'insulating jacket having an elongated body portion, exposed interiorly to the temperature of the material being distilled, said jacket having double walls forming a sealed space therebetween. said space being evacuated, and a separate metallic reflecting member Within said evacuated space and spaced 'from the Walls thereof, said reflector member extending the length of said elongated body portion, said reflector member having spaced spring contact members secured thereto, thereby retaining said reflector member in position and engaging and forming limited spaced contact, areas with said jacket.

3. In distillation apparatus, an insulating jacket having an elongated body portion, eX'- posed interiorly to the temperature of the .material being distilled` said jacket having double Walls forming asealed space therebetween, said space 'being evacuated, a separate metallic reflecting member Within said evacuated space and spaced from the walls thereof, said reflector member extending the length of said elongated body portion, and being provided with perforations along the length thereof permitting a view of the inte- 4, Distillation apparatus comprising an elongated distilling tube, means for applying a heating medium at the lower end thereof, and means for applying a cooling medium atthe upper end thereof, an insulating acket surrounding said distillation column, said insulating jacket having double walls forming a sealed space therebetween, said space being evacuated, and a separate metallic reflecting member Within said sealed space and eX- tending longitudinally thereof.

5. Distillation apparatus comprising an elongated distilling tube, means for applying a heating medium at the lower end thereof, and means for applying a cooling medium at the upper end thereof. an insulating jacket surrounding said distillationV column, said insulating jacket having double walls forming a sealed space therebetween, said space being evacuated, and a plurality of separate metallic reflecting members within said sealed space and extending longitudinally thereof.

6. In distillation apparatus, an insulating jacket having an elongated body portion eX- posed linteriorly to the temperature of the .material being distilled, said jacket having double walls forming a sealed space therebetween and being. provided at one end with an enlarged portion, the space between said Walls being evacuated, and a separate metallic reflecting member within said evacuated space and spaced'from the walls thereof, said reflector member having an enlarged portion positioned within the enlarged portion of the ment with each other, and spaced, resilient contact members secured to each portion of the reflector member and engaging the interior Walls of said container.

VALTER J. PODBIELNIAK. 

